Monday, October 24, 2011

Mabry Mill, Meadow of Dan, VA

Mabry Mill, Meadow of Dan, VA (Blue Ridge Parkway)
Since I was not able to post yesterday, you get two today!

Another sunny day! I left Babcock State Park & headed southeast, planning to stay in the Meadows of Dan Campground near the Mabry Mill. It was only a 3 hour drive & I got here by 2:00. I'm set up in Site 3, a full hookup site for $28.00 plus tax. They have a heated bathroom - I'll be able to take a shower without waiting until the warmest part of the day!

I made the short drive to the mill (about 2 miles from the campground) and it was even more crowded than the last time I was here. Of course it is a Sunday, and in the middle of the afternoon, so I guess that is to be expected. I took a couple of photographs, but plan to go back around sunset. Hopefully there will be better light and fewer people. I couldn't even get a parking spot during the afternoon visit - had to park in the bus & overfill parking.

I do wish I had a time machine to go back a week or two. The leaves at the mill are well past peak. Oh well, like Babcock State Park in WV, being late gives me an excuse to come back earlier next year.

When I took the indoor/outdoor thermometer out of the overhead storage cabinet the inside temperature looks OK, but the outdoor just showed the temperature when I left Babcock. Since I knew it was around 60°F, I went to get the outside transmitter out of the propane tanks housing to change the batteries. Only problem is the transmitter wasn't there! Somehow the drive to VA managed to bounce it off the top of one of the tanks & out the bottom. I managed to drive close to 20,000 miles without losing it but it was a bumpy ride in sections of the drive. I'll have to see if it is possible to purchase just the outside sensor since I like the model - an Acurite Model 1031.

I had a frozen pizza for dinner (well, actually it wasn't frozen when I ate it; the toaster oven took care of that. I did cook it outside the trailer - I try to avoid cooking anything that leaves a smell inside. I guess it looked a bit strange with a toaster oven going outside the trailer, but it worked.

I don't have AT&T cell coverage here at the campground or in the park, but there does seem to be a decent Verizon data connection available at 1.28Mbps. My mail downloaded and I can view my web page. Don't know about uploading today's page - I won't try that until after taking this evenings photos, and Verizon's data connections (like everyone else's) slows down in the evening.

I'll post this now and add the photos tonight (if I can).

Well, I went back & it was just as crowded and the leaves didn't jump back on the trees but I did take a few photos. There must have been a concert - I saw a number of musicians leaving with their instruments as I walked in from the overfill parking. There were also a bunck of antique cars. I got a photo of one as they were leaving, and added a photo of the campsite. To see them, check my Lakeshore Images page for today.


Not my best photos of the mill (please ignore the blurry car in the background as well as the "Your Speed is ___ MPH" sign on the side of the road) - I like last year's better, but I do have to get here a little earlier in the season.

Until tomorrow!

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